Watch SpaceX Grasshopper Rocket Reach 250m In Divert Test Launch

After the SpaceX Falcon 9 test rig (code name: Grasshopper) first reached new heights this April, the ten-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle completed a divert test, flying to a 250m altitude with a 100m lateral maneuver before landing safely back on the pad.

According to the SpaceX YouTube channel, "The test demonstrated the vehicle's ability to perform more aggressive steering maneuvers than have been attempted in previous flights." Additionally, "Diverts like this are an important part of the trajectory in order to land the rocket precisely back at the launch site after reentering from space at hypersonic velocity."